October 2014

10/31/2014

Successful, ambitious state prosecutor Grace Courtemanche is at the top of her game. Then she gets a chilling call from a young woman claiming to be buried alive. Desperate to find the victim before it's too late, Grace will do whatever it takes . . . even if it means excavating the darkest secrets of her own past and turning to the one man she thought she would never see again.

FBI agent Theodore "Hatch" Hatcher is a man without roots-and that's the way he likes it. But when a grisly crime shatters Cyprus Bend, Florida, Hatch is dragged back to the small town-and the one woman-he hoped was in his rearview for good. Forced to confront the wreckage of their love affair, Hatch and Grace may just find that sometimes the deepest wounds leave the most beautiful scars-and that history repeating itself may just be what they need to stop a killer . . . and save their own hearts.

A former newspaper reporter, magazine editor, and restaurant reviewer. These days Shelley writes smart, funny novels for teens and big, edgy romantic suspense. A six-time Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Finalist, she lives and loves in Arizona with her family and the world's neediest rescue Weimaraner. When she's not behind the keyboard, you'll find her baking high-calorie, high-fat desserts and haunting local farmers markets for the perfect plum.

Hatch continued to stare at her with eyes the color of a steamy July sky. But then, Hatch was summer. Lazy days and lustful nights. Sun and sand. And heat. A heat so intense, even with a decade’s distance, warmth crept along her cheeks.

Hatch’s dimples deepened. God, she’d forgotten how easy it was to get lost in the depth of those creases, for a man like Hatch knew how to wear—and work—a smile.

She straightened the pearls at her neck.

“Yep, Alex, the lovely prosecutor is correct as usual,” Hatch said. “Tell me, Grace, do you ever get tired of being right?” He lowered his voice, his words pouring over her like tupelo honey, sweet and wild and golden.

For a moment she forgot everything and simply listened to his words, the words of a charmer. Grace tried to go to the calm, cool place in her head, but her heart slammed triple time, beating up a heat that left her dizzy. From the moment they met on St. George Island the summer after she graduated law school, Hatch Hatcher had left her off balance. She’d spent the summer teaching tennis at an exclusive children’s camp, and he’d taught sailing. That hot, whirlwind summer led to a disastrously short marriage. It took them all of ten weeks to learn the universal truth: Mind-blowing sex does not a marriage make.

She’d come a long way since then. She was older now, stronger and harder. “What are you doing here?”

Hatch gave her a breezy shrug. “Just taking care of a little crisis situation.”

The boy standing next to him, the one he called Alex, said something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like asshole. Hatch’s jaw flinched. The boy’s nostrils flared.

“I see you ended up with the Bureau,” she said to break the tension.

“Keeping tabs on me, Princess?” He waggled his eyebrows, the wicked grin back. Hatch and his stupid nicknames.

“It’s hard not to. One of the country’s premiere hostage negotiators receives a good deal of media attention.” When she’d known him, he’d been a sun-soaked sailor without a paycheck or a plan. “I saw the talk-down in Atlanta last month with the high school bomber. It was all over the news. Good for you.”

“Good for the twenty kids in that boy’s science classroom.” Hatch rested his backside against her car, crossing his legs at the ankles.

To any bystander, he was just a guy kickin’ back and catching up with an old flame. But this man was an Apostle. He was one of the best crisis negotiators in the world. And she damn well knew every movement he made and every word he uttered served a purpose. She crossed her arms over her chest.

“A few?” He laughed, but there was an edge to it. The edge surprised her. The old Hatch had been smooth, like the mirrored glass of a windless ocean. “From what I’ve heard, you’re on top of the world.” Hatch uncrossed his arms and raised his palms to the sky. “And someday I bet you’ll own it.”

“And you’ll simply drift through it.”

The air grew still, and the afternoon clamor of the swamp silenced. It was like the heavy, pressurized seconds before a summer storm, before the swollen clouds and electric sky clashed in a thundering display of power.

He was the first to break. His mega-watt smile lit up his face, and he motioned to the building behind them. “And what brings you to the sheriff’s office? Are you here for business or”—his dimples sharpened like tiny scythes—“pleasure?”

“Business.” The short, tense word catapulted her to the present. She shouldn’t be wasting precious time talking to Hatch. She’d spent the day in the swamp searching for Lia Grant, a girl who’d been buried alive, and with each passing hour, the girl’s voice grew fainter.

10/29/2014

Cara Medlen has a serious case of animal attraction. And it's not because of all the foster dogs she's rescued. She's got it bad for her incredibly sexy neighbor. Her one rule: Don't get attached. It's served her well with the dogs she's given to good homes and the children she's nannied. Yet the temptation of Matt's sexy smile might just convince her that some rules are made to be broken. Matt Dumont doesn't need his skills as a private investigator to detect disaster on the horizon. Cara is everything he thought he'd never find-gorgeous, funny, and caring. But there's no way he can start a relationship just as he's about to move to another state. Talk about bad timing. As their attraction sizzles too hot to deny, they'll have to make a decision: forget the consequences and let loose, or forget each other and let go…

About Rachel Lacey

Rachel Lacey lives in North Carolina, with her husband, son, and their own rescued pup. She volunteers her spare time with Carolina Boxer Rescue and truly has a passion for helping our furry friends. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America as well as her local Heart of Carolina RWA chapter.

The temperature had indeed begun to fall as they drove home. Matt was glad for the jacket he kept tucked behind the back seat. He shrugged into it, then walked Cara to her front door.

“Thanks for dinner, and for helping us out. Really, if you get us the evidence to get those dogs seized, I won’t even know how to thank you.” Her warm eyes shone up at him as they stood on her front porch.

Matt gave her a devilish grin. Seriously, did she say these things just to drive him crazy?

Cara licked her lips and took a step back toward her front door.

“No problem.” His gaze slid to her neck, soft skin gleaming white as marble in the silvery light of the moon.

He saw her pulse pounding there. Her chest rose and fell with rapid breaths. Her eyes met his and held on like a magnet drawing him in.

Matt tried to resist. He really did.

And then her lips parted, and his blood turned to steam, and the only thing he could hear was his own pulse hammering away in his ears.

He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. Cara let out a whimper that caught in his chest and tugged at his restraint. Her lips were soft and warm, tentative as they pressed against his. Her eyes slid shut.

Matt gave her one more gentle kiss. Just a little goodnight kiss, nothing either of them would regret in the morning. He ran his fingers through her curls, and they were as soft as he’d imagined. Softer.

She was kissing him back now, her lips pushing against his, asking for more.

His tongue swept into her mouth. She tasted spicy, like wing sauce and the promise of hot, sweaty sex. The next thing he knew, she was pressed against her front door, Matt’s body crushed against hers. Cara’s arms were around his neck, her tongue tangling with his, her soft moans driving him right out of his mind.

After a minute, she ripped her mouth from his, gasping for breath. “Damn, what did they put in those wings?”

All he could do was smile.

Cara leaned in and brushed her lips against his. Then she winked. “Goodnight, Matt.”

She slipped inside and shut the door in his face.

Matt swore under his breath. He was really starting to develop a love-hate relationship with Cara Medlen’s front door.

***

Oh. My. God.

Cara leaned against the wall, heart flipping in her chest, silly grin on her face. She couldn’t quite believe she’d just been wedged up against her own front door with Matt’s big, hard body pressed against hers while he kissed her like she was a friggin’ Playboy model.

Okay, now she got the fuss about kissing. With other guys, she’d enjoyed it, but it was nothing she couldn’t live without. She was always worried about where she should put her hands and how quickly he was going to start unbuttoning her blouse.

She’d have unbuttoned her own blouse if Matt had asked. Good lord. His kiss had heated her blood and curled her toes, all those clichés she’d heard but not experienced. Phew.

10/28/2014

Lady Olivia Sherbourne isn't shy about speaking her mind, except when it comes to James Averill. For ten long years he has been her brother's best friend and her heart's only desire. But when Olivia hears James will soon set sail for an expedition to Egypt, she knows the time has come to make her move. It's now or never . . .

James has always found Olivia bewitchingly attractive, but what kind of gentleman takes up with his best friend's sister? Not that he's thinking particularly gentlemanly thoughts when she appears on his exploratory trip-three hundred miles from home!-and incites a tavern fight. No matter what the devil she's doing there, it's his duty to see her safely back to her family. But how safe will she be when every starlit night brings wicked temptation . . . ?

Anne Barton began swiping romance novels off her mom's bookshelf as a teenager, so when she had the chance to spend a semester in London-home to her favorite heroes-she packed her bags and promptly fell in love with the city, its history, and its pubs. She dreamed of writing romance, but somehow ended up a software analyst instead.

Fortunately, a few years and a few careers later, Anne found her way back to writing the stories she loves and in 2011 won the Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart® for Regency Historical Romance. She lives in Maryland with her husband (who, sadly, is not a peer of the realm-but a great guy nonetheless) and her three children, who try valiantly not to roll their eyes whenever she quotes Jane Austen. Her weaknesses include reality TV, cute-but-impractical shoes, and caffeinated beverages of all kinds.

She was vaguely aware that she was begging but didn’t care. “Or I shall kiss you.”

He swallowed and opened his mouth, probably to object. She had to do something fast, so she reached up and tugged at the white ribbon in her hair, pulling it inch by inch until it was free. Then she dropped it onto James’s lap. While he stared down at the length of silk, she removed a few pins, letting her curls bounce down her back.

"Jesus, Olivia.” With that, James took her face between his palms and hauled her toward him. Their desire exploded in a kiss that was fierce, hungry, raw. His tongue, hot and insistent, thrust into her mouth, as though he were claiming her for his own. He speared his fingers through her hair and grabbed a fistful like he was afraid she might pull away and end the kiss.

Not likely. She’d been waiting years for James to unleash the full force of his passion. She’d known it was there, simmering just beneath the surface, like lava waiting to erupt. And now it had. Every time her tongue tangled with his, he moaned. He breathed heavily, like he was starving for air— and for her. Never had she seen him so stripped of control, and it thrilled her.

“Olivia,” he gasped. “I want you so badly that I forget who I am and what is right.”

“I know who you are,” she murmured. “And this feels very right to me.”

10/27/2014

Jen: As a multi-published author, your personal journey to publication is a story in itself. So that my readers may catch a glimpse into the life of the woman behind the words, please briefly share with us your educational and professional background.

Stephanie: I majored in European History at Princeton during my undergrad years, then received an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Grant in the Humanities to earn a Masters in history from Stanford. During those years I worked briefly as a journalist—interning at the Miami Herald and freelancing for the San Jose Mercury News—but when I left grad school, married, and moved to Washington, DC with my husband, I was hired by the CIA as an intelligence analyst. That’s writing that feels like a combination of journalism and academic research, so it was a good fit. I left after four years to concentrate on fiction.

Jen: Please describe for us your “Aha!” moment when you decided to take the plunge and pursue a career as a writer.

Stephanie: I was standing in a mystery bookstore in Bethesda, MD—now sadly closed. I looked around the myriad titles on countless shelves and thought: I could do this. Jen: In terms of nuts and bolts, approximately how long does it take for you to complete a novel? And, what is the most challenging part of the process?

Stephanie: That varies depending on the nature of the book. I write first-person narratives for the Jane Austen series, which are fairly straightforward both in structure and progression—everything the reader experiences, Jane experiences first. They’re linear in their development. I spend about three months writing a Jane Austen novel. I also write under the name of Francine Mathews, however, and those books are far more complex, third-person omniscient books that require precision choreography in pace and plotting, as well as a great deal of research. Those can six months to a year.

Jen: Your latest release Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Jane Austen Mysteryis the twelfth installment in the Jane Austen Mystery series. For those readers not familiar with the previous titles, what is the premise of the series? And, are the previous releases able to be read as stand-alone titles, or is it necessary for the reader to start from the beginning?

Stephanie: I have often told prospective readers that they ought to plunge into the books in any order they find them, but it is true that the series is chronological with continuing characters, many of them drawn from Jane’s family and circle of acquaintance. Inevitably, certain people come and go over the course of the twelve novels, just as they did in Jane’s life. The series begins in 1802 and has currently reached December 1814, and during that period Jane lost some people very dear to her, but also moved from relative obscurity to published authorship. Reading the books can feel like a journey through the prime of Jane’s life, from age twenty-six to forty. Although they are certainly fiction, they are deliberately presented as though they are Jane’s authentic journals, discovered nearly two hundred years after they were written. Each of them catalogues a detective adventure in Austen’s life, and each is a mosaic of fact and fiction drawn from her letters. I attempt to capture the voice of her letters, which is intimate and much less edited than the voice of her novels.

Jen: Please give us a sneak peek into Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Stephanie: It’s set around the two hundredth anniversary this winter of the Treaty of Ghent. You didn’t know it was the Ghent Bicentennial, did you? Didn’t think so. This was the treaty between the US and Great Britain that ended the War of 1812. It was signed on Christmas Eve by John Quincy Adams, for the Americans, and Admiral Gambier, for the British—and Admiral Gambier, or Dismal Jimmy as he was known to his naval crews, was a patron of Jane Austen’s sailor brothers. He was also close to the Chute family, who owned The Vyne in Hampshire, a wonderful National Trust estate in the neighborhood of Steventon. When I discovered that Jane stayed with her brother James, the rector of Steventon, that Christmas of 1814, I decided to write a novel around Christmas and the end of the war. The Georgian holiday was so different from our own—they truly celebrated twelve days of Christmas, starting with Dec. 25th and ending with the Epiphany, January 6—that I thought it would provide a great structure for the novel.

Jen: As you were writing the book, did you feel a certain connection to one of the characters?

Stephanie: Probably Raphael West. He was the son of the great artist, Benjamin West, who was in fact an American. Raphael was born in England and always considered himself an Englishman, but his father was a Pennsylvania patriot who had a great deal of admiration for the French revolution and took his family to Paris for a while during the tumultuous transition to Bonaparte. Raphael must have experienced divided loyalties, confusion, and some suspicion on the part of his British friends during the major years of his adulthood. He was somewhat older than Jane, but he serves as an intriguing counterpart in this story.

Jen: Let’s switch gears now and talk about your promotional plans. Please take us on a brief tour of your website highlighting points of interest.

Stephanie: My poor website! I’ve neglected it incredibly of late—I tend to post on Facebook rather than on the web. But it offers some insights into my writing process; a list of books I’ve written with links to various booksellers; suggestions for further reading in the Austen realm; and a blog. The blog has some interesting posts on each of the books in the series.

Jen: Are you present in social media? And, what is the best way for my readers to keep abreast of your latest news?

Stephanie: Probably by “liking” my Facebook page, which can be found simply by searching for Stephanie Barron. I post there quite frequently—everything from daily observations to the dates of signings.

Jen: Are you currently at work on your next novel? If so, what may you share with us?

Stephanie: I am always at work on something. I’m finishing JANE AND THE WATERLOO MAP, which takes place at Carlton House in London during the autumn after the great battle in the summer of 1815—another bicentennial we’re approaching. I have a Francine Mathews novel forthcoming in March, called TOO BAD TO DIE, which is an espionage story about Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, and his adventures as a British spy during World War II.

Jen: When you take a break from writing, how do you like to spend your free time?

Stephanie: I have two sons—one in college and one in high school—that I love to be with in any way they need me to be. I travel whenever I can with my husband. I love gardening and food, wine and art, I exercise a lot. Living in Colorado, I’m fortunate to be able to ski. And I love needlepoint.

Jen: Are you involved in any charitable causes that have influenced you in a personal or professional way?

Stephanie: Our family supports my sister-in-law’s remarkable organization, Global Dental Relief, which brings American dentists and ordinary volunteers to children in Nepal, India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Kenya and Guatemala. My sons have volunteered on trips in Guatemala and my husband has led trips to Vietnam, India, and Guatemala as well.

Jen: Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with my readers. Best of luck on your book tour!

Stephanie: Thanks so much for caring about my Jane, Jen! Have a wonderful holiday season…

Readers, I hope you have enjoyed my interview with Stephanie Barron. Please stop by your local bookstore, library, or online retailer and pick up a copy of Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmastoday. Better yet, how would you like to win a free copy instead? Okay, send me an email at jensjewels@gmail.com with the correct answer to the following trivia question and you’ll be entered into the contest. Good luck! (Offer void where prohibited.)

What is the name of Stephanie’s next Jane Austen mystery?

Be sure to keep up-to-date on all the latest news in the publishing business by stopping by www.jennifervido.com, follow me on Facebook jennifervido.com, on Twitter and Pinterest @JenniferVido, and on Instagram @JenVido. And as always, thanks for making Jen’s Jewels the ultimate source for news on the web for today’s hottest authors.

Readers, I hope you have enjoyed my interview with Darcie Chan. Please stop by your local bookstore, library, or online retailer and pick up a copy of The Mill River Redemption today. Better yet, how would you like to win a free copy instead? Okay, send me an email at jensjewels@gmail.com with the correct answer to the following trivia question and you’ll be entered into the contest. Good luck! (Offer void where prohibited.)

What are the names of Josie’s two daughters in The Mill River Redemption?

Next month, I will be chatting with Stephanie Barron about her upcoming release, Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Jane Austen Mystery. Be sure to keep up-to-date on all the latest news in the publishing business by stopping by www.jennifervido.com, follow me on Facebook jennifervido.com, on Twitter and Pinterest @JenniferVido, and on Instagram @JenVido. And as always, thanks for making Jen’s Jewels the ultimate source for news on the web for today’s hottest authors.

- See more at: http://www.jennifervido.com/blog/interviews/#sthash.ggdTxYm6.dpuf

Readers, I hope you have enjoyed my interview with Darcie Chan. Please stop by your local bookstore, library, or online retailer and pick up a copy of The Mill River Redemption today. Better yet, how would you like to win a free copy instead? Okay, send me an email at jensjewels@gmail.com with the correct answer to the following trivia question and you’ll be entered into the contest. Good luck! (Offer void where prohibited.)

What are the names of Josie’s two daughters in The Mill River Redemption?

Next month, I will be chatting with Stephanie Barron about her upcoming release, Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Jane Austen Mystery. Be sure to keep up-to-date on all the latest news in the publishing business by stopping by www.jennifervido.com, follow me on Facebook jennifervido.com, on Twitter and Pinterest @JenniferVido, and on Instagram @JenVido. And as always, thanks for making Jen’s Jewels the ultimate source for news on the web for today’s hottest authors.

- See more at: http://www.jennifervido.com/blog/interviews/#sthash.ggdTxYm6.dpuf

Readers, I hope you have enjoyed my interview with Darcie Chan. Please stop by your local bookstore, library, or online retailer and pick up a copy of The Mill River Redemption today. Better yet, how would you like to win a free copy instead? Okay, send me an email at jensjewels@gmail.com with the correct answer to the following trivia question and you’ll be entered into the contest. Good luck! (Offer void where prohibited.)

What are the names of Josie’s two daughters in The Mill River Redemption?

Next month, I will be chatting with Stephanie Barron about her upcoming release, Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Jane Austen Mystery. Be sure to keep up-to-date on all the latest news in the publishing business by stopping by www.jennifervido.com, follow me on Facebook jennifervido.com, on Twitter and Pinterest @JenniferVido, and on Instagram @JenVido. And as always, thanks for making Jen’s Jewels the ultimate source for news on the web for today’s hottest authors.

- See more at: http://www.jennifervido.com/blog/interviews/#sthash.ggdTxYm6.dpuf

10/15/2014

Not a Chance in Helen is the third installment of the popular River Road mystery series. Wealthy widower and town curmudgeon Eleanora Duncan lives alone in her Victorian mansion pining away for her deceased husband and son. Her only companions are her faithful servant Zelma and beloved pussy cat, Lady Godiva. One sunny day, she is nearly hit by a passing car making her wonder if someone is out to get her. Unfortunately for this cranky heiress, the list of potential enemies is rather long. From her ex-daughter-in-law who accidentally killed her son to her no-good brother-in-law who is just waiting to collect his potential inheritance, Eleanora has good reason to believe she is in danger. Sadly for the eccentric old dame, her premonition is right on the mark. Someone in the quaint town of River Bend has indeed killed her.

Seventy-five-year-old Helen Evans must clear the name of her good friend and local caterer, Jean Duncan, who Sheriff Biddle has accused of being responsible for Eleanora’s death. Sure the woman had an axe to grind with the old bitty seeing as Eleanora blamed Jean for killing her son. But, that’s no reason to go poison her ex-mother-in-law and risk the chance of spending the rest of her life behind bars. While the gossipmongers spread their version of the news, Helen digs deep to uncover any clues she can possibly find to help her troublesome friend. Tempers flare and emotions run high as Sheriff Biddle tries to sort through the evidence with Helen trailing closely behind.

Similar to the first two books in the series, Not a Chance in Helen is a breezy cozy mystery with hints of suspense, drama, and intrigue. The indelible charm and quirky wit of the recurring characters make for a delightful fall read. The light dialogue and heartwarming way in which the story develops are the reasons why this author’s books consistently remain at the top of must-read book club picks.

10/07/2014

Kerris Moreton should be the happiest woman in the world: She has a successful business and is about to start the family she's always wanted. But the man of her dreams-the one whose green eyes see straight into her soul and whose gentle hands make her body hum with pleasure-is not hers.

Each secret moment with Walsh Bennett serves to remind Kerris of what she's missing. And every stolen hour makes it harder to see her future without him. But being with Walsh would betray a sacred promise and upend her perfect life. When tragedy strikes, the razor's edge between love and loyalty grows sharper than ever. And Kerris must decide where her heart will fall.

Please join us for the the read along for LOVING YOU ALWAYS on October 13th! Click here!

Kennedy Ryan writes contemporary romance and women's fiction. She always give her characters their happily ever after, but loves to make them work for it! It's a long road to love, so sit back and enjoy the ride. In an alternative universe and under her government issue name, Tina Dula, she is a wife to the love of her life, mom to a special, beautiful son, and a friend to those living with autism through her foundation Myles-A-Part, serving Georgia families.

Her writings on Autism have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, and she has been featured on the Montel Williams Show, NPR, Headline News and others. Ryan is donating a portion of her proceeds to her own foundation and to her charitable partner, Talk About Curing Autism (TACA).

Her interview series MOMMIES DO THE MOST AMAZING THINGS is featured each month in Brooke Burke's online magazine Modern Mom.